CreativEase Help -- Adobe Photoshop
This help guide includes basic info, tutorials, and tips. To access this help while using CreativEase plugin, Click the ? button.
Contents
How to Apply CreativEase Plugin
In Adobe Photoshop (64-bit, version CS6 or later):
Choose a CreativEase filter in the Pixelan section within Photoshop's Filter menu. The plugin's controls will then appear in a custom window.
Basics Within CreativEase effects
CreativEase Easy Steps
Click here to visually choose from a HUGE range of pre-made effects presets (plus saved favorites) in an animated Effects Browser window. Click Recent to quickly load a recently used preset. Right-Click to quickly load an effect via a pop-up menu. Or Alt-Click for an Open dialog box. The loaded pre-made effect will instantly configure ALL CONTROLS into a cool effect. Several
subfolders are included, organized by style.
To create a new effect or to modify a preset...
(1) To quickly try pre-made settings, click the Choose Section Presets button -- a Pixelan exclusive! Section Presets will instantly configure controls IN THAT SECTION into a powerful combination. Presets are a great way to QUICKLY build USEFUL effects from scratch, or to modify a saved setting. Try a few -- THOUSANDS of combinations are possible!
(2) Adjust the controls in the main effect sections. For detailed help per control, see below on this web page.
(3) If needed, untwirl other sections of the effect to fine-tune further.
Basics Within CreativEase
(A) Load a Recent Effect. Click “Recent” to instantly access a submenu of your recently applied effects, saving time.
(B) Undo/Redo. Click the green arrows to undo or redo your prior steps – great for experimenting with new looks/variations.
(C) Serial/Version Info. Click the Pixelan logo to access this info.
(D) Help. Click the blue ? button to access CreativEase help.
(E) Preferences. Click the asterik to adjust preferences.
(F) Save an Effect. Click the disk to save a favorite effect as a preset you can re-load instantly.
(G) Clear Settings. Click the minus sign to clear current settings.
(H) Apply. Click the green check mark to apply the effect & close the window. To exit without changes, click the X in the top right corner.
(I) Section Presets. Click an FX folder icon to instantly change only the controls in that section via handy presets we have developed.
(J) Expand/Collapse Sections. To expand or collapse a section, use the “twirly” at the left of a control section.
(K) Context-Sensitive Help/Tips. Hover your cursor over any control or area to see extensive context-sensitive help and tips.
Most CreativEase plugins has two or three types of presets -- Effects Browser presets, Section presets and Spice Library presets (in some plugins only).
• Effects Browser presets
This is the most powerful and visual way to access presets and is where HUNDREDS of presets are located. Click the Click here to load a preset... button at the top of CreativEase (as shown by the smiley in the above illustration) to open a wonderful large Effects Browser window to visually choose/compare from many pre-made presets (including those you have made and saved for future re-use) To save your own custom presets in the Effects Browser, use effect controls to set up the desired look, then click the Save button in the main effect control area.
Time-saving tips to load presets faster:
The Effects Browser is fast, but sometimes you may already know which preset you want to use, such as when you are applying the same preset repeatedly in a project. In that situation, selecting a preset by one of the following methods can be faster...
To see recently chosen Effects Browser presets, click the Recent button. For a drop-down menu of Effects Browser presets, click the Menu button. To use a standard Open file dialog box, click the Open button.
• Section presets
Unlike the most Effect Browser presets, these change ONLY some or all controls in ONE section. Mixing presets from several sections is a quick and easy way to try hundreds of fresh effect variations. Click the Section Presets button at the top of any control section to instantly change ONLY the controls in that section via handy presets we have developed. Use this to quickly and easily make hundreds of new effect variations.
• Spice Library presets
Each 'spice' is a specially-designed grayscale map that guides the effect. It's simple in concept but incredibly flexible and organic in its creative possibilities compared to the usual hard-edged, limited-adjustment, standard algorithmic effects.
Click the large Choose Spice File button located in Spice section (if present) to open a Spice Library window and visually choose/compare from 600+ spices.
Click a subfolder in the Library's left pane, as shown below. Thumbnail-size
previews of available effects will then play in the right pane so
you can visually compare and choose the best effect design for your segment.
Double-click a thumbnail in the Library's right pane to select the effect
and close the Library.
To choose a spice but bypass the Library, Alt-click
the Choose Spice File button to get a
standard Open dialog box. Then navigate to and select
the file. This is how you can load an image
you have created.
Shift-click
the Choose Spice button to quickly load a spice via a multi-level menu. Ctrl-click
the Choose Spice button to quickly load a recently used spice.
Handy tips while working within the Effects Browser and Spice Library:
• To scroll through presets in a folder while keeping your eye on the top preview image for comparison, hold the mouse pointer over the right panel then use arrow keys or the mouse wheel.
• To increase/decrease the thumbnail image size, use the Size button at the bottom of the Effects Browser.
• To copy a favorite preset into the My Favorites folder located atop the left column of preset folders, right-click any preset image and choose Copy to My Favorites. To copy the preset into a subfolder within that folder (such as if you want to organize presets per project or per client), right-click the preset and choose Copy to My Favorites >> [new subfolder]. You can then name the subfolder as desired. After the subfolder is created, it will also appear in the right-click menu.
• To rename a preset that is in the My Favorites folder, right-click the preset there and choose Rename this preset. To remove a My Favorites preset, right-click and choose Delete this preset.
• To hide any preset, right-click the preset and choose Hide this preset. To show all hidden presets in a folder, right-click any preset in that folder and choose Restore all hidden presets from this folder. To temporarily view the folder's hidden presets, which can be handy if you just want to momentarily browse them, choose Temporarily show hidden presets.
• To toggle between viewing the source file image and the CreativEase preset, click the top large preview image in the Effects Browser.
Detailed CreativEase Help and Tutorials
| Color Effects Pack |
| PosterWise™ |
Features |
Tutorial |
Controls
in Detail |
| A creative break-through in "posterize" effects,
easily creating everything from color-accurate cartoon looks in video to beautiful abstract
imagery. |
| ChromaWarp™ |
Features |
Tutorial |
Controls
in Detail |
| Ideal for creative and unique color effects -- from subtle/film-style blends to strong cutting-edge looks -- with full creative control of where it appears within the image. |
| Blur Effects Pack |
| OrganiBlur™ |
Features |
Tutorial |
Controls
in Detail |
| Unlike overused standard blur effects, enjoy fresh organic blurs and fluid looks via technology borrowed from our popular SpiceMASTER plug-in. |
| BlurPro™ |
Features |
Tutorial |
Controls
in Detail |
| Blurs and unique blend/mask tools synergized, making it easy
to selectively soften/sharpen your clips and create fresh animated blur effects. |
| Depth Effects Pack |
| RiseShine™ |
Features |
Tutorial |
Controls
in Detail |
| Instantly and easily add beautifully realistic depth, creative organic looks, AND glossy/wet treatments -- to titles, logos and graphics and to regular video clips! |
| FlowTexture™ |
Features |
Tutorial |
Controls
in Detail |
| Create fully-adjustable realistic water drops AND an almost infinite
array of other liquid-like depth effects -- from abstract 'etchings' to amazing organic
flows. |
| Grain Effects Pack |
| GrainPlus™ |
Features |
Tutorial |
Controls
in Detail |
| From subtle FILM grain to visual buzzing, dynamic weaving patterns, random brightness/hue
changes, and more creatively -- easily applied only where desired within your scene. |
| SpatterFlex™ |
Features |
Tutorial |
Controls
in Detail |
| A dynamic, flexible, softenable spatter effect to add a highly artistic touch to your video and animation. A great visual effects plug-in for titles, too! |
| Time Effects Pack (not available for all systems) |
| StepMotion™ |
Features |
Tutorial |
Controls
in Detail |
| Create image ghosting, trails, and other time-delay effects
in high-motion footage -- but with a more attractive progressively-dissolved style. |
| StepTime™ |
Features |
Tutorial |
Controls
in Detail |
| A unique blended stop-action effect that also can selectively echo light or dark pixels for unique stutter and echo looks. |
NOTE: StepMotion and StepTime are not available in Adobe Photoshop.
What's the Difference Between Video and Photoshop Effects
•Keyframing is not supported
•Progress sliders: Progress sliders are designed to gradually increase/decrease the effect during a clip and set where the effect will be visible. In Photoshop just set the best constant value for your desired effect.
•Motion sliders: In video versions
Motion sliders in
Noise/Texture sections progressively add random movement/animation to the grain/noise during the effect. In Photoshop, use the
Motion sliders to choose the desired
Noise/Texture pattern -- just experiment with the slider to determine its best value for your desired effect.
•Alpha Channels: Alpha (Text/Alpha FX, Preserve alpha, Channel > Alpha, Mask with Alpha Channel) in CreativEase effects reffer to layer's transparency channel, not mask/alpha channels.
•StepMotion and
StepTime effects are not available
•Large Images: By default the CreativEase effects will run in compatibility mode and will process the large images in pieces. In this mode blurs and distortions are limited to 256 pixels size/offset. If you have a modern video card with at least 2GB of video memory, CreativEase's performance mode can allow you to get full-range blurs and distotions for larger images (8192x8192 pixels on most video cards). Run our small
Pixelan Render Controller app located in your
Start > All Programs > Pixelan > Masters folder. Click
Performance mode button, then click OK button.
NEW! --